


Fighting Fate

by MizzGinger



Category: Psycho-Pass
Genre: Comedy, F/M, Gore, Horror, One-Sided Love, Pre-Season 1, Romance, School Life, best friends turned into lovers, sandwich stealing is involved, smut-ish?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-03
Updated: 2018-10-29
Packaged: 2019-02-27 20:24:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 12,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13255941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MizzGinger/pseuds/MizzGinger
Summary: He didn't believe that love could affect him this much. A girl with every quality he admired crashes into his world and begins wreaking havoc on his heart. It's a shame that their 'perfect' society didn't want them together.Kougami Shinya x [Reader]One-sided!Reader x Ginoza Nobuchika





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Yo! This series will be pre-Psycho Pass season 1. The setting will mostly be during their high-school/college years, and then a little bit of work life at the end. I took a lot of creative liberties here on how Kougami and Gino would be during high school and also with some things at the middle >.>;;; I won't be too specific but I created this story before we had any information on Kougami's past before season 1, so some things won't be entirely canon, but I tried my best.
> 
> Please enjoy!

_Kougami stared up at the clouded sky, one that was filled with skyscrapers and colorful billboards. Exhaling, he continued his solitary journey deeper into the city where his school was located. His face harbored a look of boredom and exhaustion, having stayed up far longer than he had anticipated and translating into heavy steps. When he made it to the entrance, he was greeted by an annoyed boy._

_"You're almost late again."_

_"Well, I'm here aren't I, Gino?" Kougami chuckled as he halted in front of his friend. "I would save your worries for her."_

_Ginoza clicked his tongue and turned on his heel. "I'm tired of reprimanding her."_

_Though they were missing said girl, they continued towards the classroom and seated themselves in the middle of the room. Kougami strategically placed one of his books on the desk beside him to save a seat for the untimely girl. Now they waited for the same cycle to repeat--she would rush into the classroom late and make a fool of herself, Gino would reprimand her, and then she would choose the seat next to him._

_He thought that she would have at least learned her lesson by now, having endured an overwhelming amount of embarrassing moments. But as the bell rung, signaling the beginning of class, it was clear that she hadn't. Once again she was late. Ginoza shook his head in disbelief while Kougami just chuckled._

_Only several minutes after the professor had begun class did she arrive via the back door. As much as she tried to be silent (expertly sneaking down the aisle), her efforts proved to be futile due to a pencil that lay mischievously on the floor. Both Kougami and Ginoza watched as she stepped on that forsaken pencil, causing her to slip backwards in a tumultuous fashion as she took down two desks along with her._

_The commotion was obnoxious and captured the entire class' attention, including the professor's. "Ahh [Name], how nice of you to join us."_

_"So very sorry," she laughed nervously as she picked herself up from the ground. She then proceeded to arrange the fallen desks before fixing up her attire._

_The professor nodded his head and resumed class. She thanked her fate that this professor in particular was laidback... Though she was also one of the top students of the school which allowed some things to be overlooked._

_"Nice going..." Ginoza commented once she made it to their row. She was too much in a rush to reply to his biting comment and merely waved at them both before seating herself beside Ginoza._

_She didn't notice that Kougami had already reserved a seat for her._

_But the boy had already expected that sort of oblivious behavior. After all, she was Gino's girlfriend, not his._


	2. O N E

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a little something before we get into the fun stuff!

_The two were an intimidating pair, exuding an unapproachable aura as they spoke about mature topics that no one had ever heard about. Ever since the first day of high school, they sat together and formed a tight duo that no one wanted to mess with. They both had scowls etched into their expressions, and neither smiled freely. No one went near them, no one wanted to talk to them, and no one bothered to glance at them._

_"[Name]," a girl called out as she passed her a piece of paper. She moved towards the direction of where her name was called, and knocked down her eraser, causing it to bounce down the aisle. She watched it bounce and roll towards the dreaded raven-haired duo, and when it stopped moving, it laid next to one of their shoes._

_"Ahhhh," she sighed as she lifted herself from her chair. Though she could hear the classroom fall silent, she shrugged off their worries and traveled over to the two._

_When she arrived, the closest one had already recovered the eraser from the floor. "I haven't seen one of these in a while."_

_[Name] glanced at him, curiosity coloring her expression. "I prefer writing than typing on a tablet. It helps me remember things." She smiled as she tried to remember his name, though it was a futile attempt._

_"An accommodator then?" he chuckled, gazing at her powder-white hue. It was pure, too pure for a girl her age._

_"Are you referring to David Klob's model of learning?" she asked. "Are you insinuating that I'm a hands-on type of learner?"_

_His eyes widened. "Yeah."_

_She nodded in response as her eyes wandered to the book in his hands. "I would be careful with reading about history. It leads to ideals that could very well higher your Psycho Pass, or worse: a revolution."_

_He stared at the girl while his brain processed her words. "But if we never read about the past, we will never learn from our mistakes."_

_Her calm expression cracked under the weight of her smile. "Ha! I suppose it's worth the risk!"_

_The bell chimed, signaling a break. The girl was quick on her feet to speed out of the classroom, not bothering to finish their conversation and leaving him in a stunned state._

_"It looks like someone finally followed your conversation, Kougami," his friend scoffed._

_"Gino," he turned to glance at him, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips, "Are you saying that you can never understand what I'm saying?"_

**_[____]_ **

_"My, my," a girl sighed as she pushed around her food. "That was so scary to watch. I was worried that guy would punch you."_

_"Punch me? Don't be silly!" [Name] laughed as she unwrapped her sweet from the wrapper. She doesn't waste a moment in throwing the candy in her mouth._

_"You can't only eat that for lunch!" she reprimanded her._

_"Luna, I'm not that hungry--"_

_"H-Hey! Look," Luna pointed over to the front of the massive cafeteria._

_There was a sea of students occupying the front with long lines for the food. Due to the obscene amount of students, acquiring a table was difficult. With [Name] never bothering to eat the cafeteria food, she would find a great table for her and Luna right by the window and near the line._

_[Name] directed her gaze to the front and spotted a fight beginning to form. "That's...rare," she mumbled._

_If any type of bullying was found, it usually increased the Psycho Pass of anyone who was involved in the ordeal. No one wanted to be involved with the police, let alone be thrown into therapy. However, that didn't stop one of the kids to continue such actions._

_"Huh? Are you sure you don't have anything to say? I did skip you," the idiot smirked as he continued to kick the kid on the floor._

_"Better not to get involved," Luna muttered, returning her gaze to her friend. When she noticed her standing, she panicked. "[Name], don't!"_

_"How dare he!"_

_"[Name]."_

_"Luna, someone has to do something," she explained harshly._

_"There will be help. Be patient," Luna ordered._

_Her mouth opened to continue arguing, but there was a loud crash that gained everyone's attention. The boy from before, Kougami Shinya, and his friend had swiftly entered the fight to break up the two. Kougami had gripped the perpetrator's wrist, bending it behind his back, while his friend had kneeled beside the victim._

_"What are they doing?" Luna clicked her tongue in annoyance._

_[Name], on the other hand, wore a large smile, her eyes sparkling with amazement. She was bewildered that those two would swoop in to help, but more so that they weren't afraid of helping. It was as if they were born to be in the Public Safety Bureau, a dream she too had always thought about._

_"Luna, they look like Inspectors!"_

_"They're wanna-be Inspectors," she retorted. "Now sit down before they try to tie you into that ordeal."_

_She took her advice, settling back in her chair, but her eyes locked with the man named Kougami. He noticed the excitement brimming from her optics, and it made him laugh to himself._

_She surely was amusing._


	3. T W O

_"Is anyone sitting here?"_

_[Name] and Luna directed their attention to the male voice beside them. The [h/c] female was first to respond, and they sent him a kind smile. "Kougami, right?" The man nodded in response. "Go ahead."_

_Luna nudged her friend, signaling how bad of an idea this was. The girl stuck out her tongue in response, but when she inhaled the faint smell of cologne, she returned her attention back to Kougami. That was when she noticed the classroom's attention was completely on their group._

_"So do you know yet when they'll give you your elective class?" Kougami asked though it sounded like he was awkwardly attempting small talk._

_"I don't know yet," [Name] responded as she thought about it, "I was hoping between the psychology or a cooking class."_

_He began to chuckle as his head began to rest in his palm with his elbow firmly planted on the table. "Those are completely different courses."_

_"You're pretty fickle-minded," his friend commented, not bothering to glance at her._

_Instead of being insulted, she spouted in giggles which alerted their classmates. Was she laughing with them? "I very much am."_

_"That's Ginoza," Kougami pointed at the boy next to him._

_She stared at him, taking in his prominent features. He seemed more stern and conservative than his friend, and with his straight, silky hair and glasses, she felt her heart speed up a little. Luna noticed her friend's immediate infatuation as he had all the features of [Name]'s ideal man._

_"Oh, nice to meet you! I'm [Full Name]," she announced, and as she continued to stare, she realized something about him. "Isn't your dad a latent criminal?"_

_He didn't know how to respond, but luckily for him, the professor entered to resume the class. He brought up the topic of electives, describing each class with such detail. It was mandatory for to take one since this decided their future._

_"You should check your tablets for your schedule, and once you get it, head over to your designated elective."_

_[Name] was quick to operate her tablet as did everyone else. This was where their future began to be paved for them, which ignited their excitement. Her eyes eagerly digested her schedule which was the result of the multitude of tests given within the first few months._

_"I got a class called Bylaws of Society," Luna sneered with disbelief. "What about you, [Name]?"_

_She bursted out laughing. "That must suck--"_

_"The bylaws of this new age are pivotal to know," Ginoza stated as he fixed his glasses and packed up his bag._

_She zipped her mouth and nodded in agreement with him. "O-Of course!"_

_"[Name], what did you get?" Luna reiterated her question._

_"Oh I got Introduction to Criminal Minds," [Name] sighed as she slumped in her chair. "At least it's kind of like Psychology."_

_"Isn't that with the scary professor?" Luna shuddered._

_It caught the girl's attention, and she frowned in response, "I sure hope not. I hope the teacher is super easy, doesn't give too much homework, and is super nice!"_

**_> >>>>_ **

_"This is going to be a difficult course as we will be nitpicking every single behavioral pattern possible. We'll see what makes a human being tick, how and why they perform their actions, and unraveling their history just by taking a glance. Although most of you won't be able to perfect your intuitions, you'll have some understanding of the criminal instincts of the human mind," the professor spoke. "Ah, my name is Saiga Joiji by the way."_

_[Name] groaned at her horrible luck, lightly slamming her head against her desk. "Damn it."_

_"Is there a problem?" the professor asked, staring directly at the girl._

_She pulled her head back up at the tone of his voice, knowing he was speaking to her. "None, sir!"_

_He smirked, walking away to another area of the classroom. "There will be many group assignments and projects, so pick a partner whom you never had the pleasure of befriending. I'll give you a few minutes to do so."_

_Right on cue, the room became filled with voices with the number of people standing and talking to each other. The girl remained seated and faced the man sitting beside her. "Well, I haven't had the pleasure of befriending you, Kougami."_

_"Same here. It seems the class will be interesting," Kougami thought out loud. "It's too bad that Gino isn't here."_

_"You mean Ginoza?" she questioned, earning a nod from him. "Ah, wasn't his dad a latent criminal?"_

_Kougami became uncomfortable, his stance becoming rigid as he turned to face the board. It didn't look like he wanted to answer that question, and she noticed it almost immediately. "I'm not implying that he's a bad guy too! I'm pretty sure Ginoza is a cool guy...Sorry if it was a touchy subject."_

_"Don't apologize. I just thought you wanted to gossip about him when he wasn't here."_

_She noticed that his hesitance was gone and replaced by a much calmer tone. She sighed with relief. "No, I just wanted to know if he was the one that everyone's talking about. Plus, I saw what you guys did at the cafeteria earlier today, and for defending the kid, I have this feeling that you guys are good people."_

_"You saw?" Kougami's eyes widened. "So you saw us get into some trouble with the security there."_

_"You got in trouble?" Her eyebrows rose. "...For protecting the kid?"_

_"For getting involved."_

_She shook her head. "All they care about is about your Psycho Pass going up, rather than the good in the world...AH! You didn't hear that from me!"_

_"Hear what?" Kougami smirked._

_"Ha!" she grinned, thankful he was playing along. "Hear about how boring this class is going to be!"_

_"Really? Is that your conclusion of my class?" the professor hummed with interest as he stood behind her. She shrunk in her chair as he eyed her down, analyzing everything about her. "You'll be my example in tomorrow's lecture. Thank you for volunteering."_

_She gulped down her worries, shivering with anticipation as to what was going to happen tomorrow in class._


	4. T H R E E

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no lie i forgot to update, but no worries i got a crap ton to post  
> just need to edit e_e

_Kougami chuckled to himself as he notes the lateness of the friend in the making, [Name]. Their itinerary for the day was different from yesterday which made their elective the first class of the day. He believed she would be the first one here in order to convince or beg their teacher not to do anything remotely embarrassing to her in front of the class. The other option was that she would skip the first class entirely, though that would definitely result in harsh punishment from the school system._

_As the usual chime rung through the hallways, Kougami felt that it might be the latter as she was nowhere to be seen. Saiga also noticed, but it seemed that he wasn't worried at all by the lack of her presence. "Well, it's nice to see you all so early in the morning," he sighed without any sincerity as he took out a notepad and placed it on his desk. "Let's start out with a warmup before my assistant arrives... In your tablets, write five attributes you believe others perceive of you. Once you're done, send it to my email address."_

_"Professor, what are you going to do with them?" a student asked hesitantly._

_"I'll have you stand in front of the class, and I'll read them out loud."_

_"What's this for?" another student asked._

_"You'll see," was the gruff reply. Saiga noticed that there was a frightened air in the classroom as they worried about the judgment of their peers. Their eyes shifted around, checking to see who would be first to start their assignment._

_Kougami brushed his fingers through his raven locks, and with his other hand, he touched his tablet to open a blank document. He was used to the stares of his classmates, causing him to shake them off and do the assignment. As he deeply thought about what he might be perceived_ as, _he heard scuffling on the floor behind him._

_His gaze drifted over to where the noise was and his eyebrows rose at the sight. [Name] had entered through the back door successfully as she crawled on the tiled floor. It appeared she was more interested in getting into the class unnoticed by the professor rather than her undergarments being exposed from her skirt; it made the corners of his lips tilt upwards. It was a comical scene bestowed before him, and all he could do was watch._

_When her eyes met_ his _, she smiled sheepishly while lifting her index finger up to her lips, asking him to keep quiet. It wasn't a problem for him to be silent; it was a matter of whether she could keep her journey over to him quiet, and behold, her travels were ruined. The hand that lifted her torso up while she crawled had slammed into a forgotten pen cap and instilled an intense amount of pain in her system. "SHIIIIT!"_

_"[Name], welcome to the class."_

_Kougami scowled as he stared up at his professor. Did he already know that [Name] was going to show up? Did he know she wouldn't ditch the class? Maybe this man could accurately read people with just a look._

_"Thanks," she nodded as she slinked her way next to Kougami. She sighed with relief, believing herself to be off the hook, and turned around to greet her partner, "Hey."_

_He opened his mouth to warn her of their professor's intention to still use her but it was too late. "[Name] I need you in front of the classroom now."_

_She gaped at Saiga, her frantic [e/c] orbs crying for him to reconsider. He held a cold expression, expecting her to rise from her seat and over to the front. Kougami patted her back, encouraging her to stay strong, and she returned his gaze with a pout._

_Unwillingly, she made her way to the front as all of her classmates' piteous stares followed her every move. Saiga gazed at her, making her feel slightly uncomfortable, and he scoffed in response. "Why don't you write five things you believe others see in you?"_

_It wasn't exactly a question; it was an order. She immediately slid her tablet out of her bag and opened to the home screen to begin typing. It took a few minutes before she finally finished and glanced up to signal the completion of her work. He adjusted his glasses as he left his desk over to her._

_"Great, great. Now, I'll say the first five things that come to mind when I first saw you... First, I can tell you're clumsy---"_

_She scoffed._

_"---Second, you're reliable. Third, you're optimistic. Fourth, you're book smart. Fifth, you have a good sense of humor."_

_She was in awe, "That's everything I wrote." She turned her tablet over to him as she heard the others whisper to each other at what unfolded in front of them._

_"No, it has nothing to do with me," the professor said as he took her tablet, "this shows that you can correctly analyze people's reactions involving yourself. You're aware of others."_

_"T-Thanks."_

_"Now, let me give you my analysis on your personality with just a look--"_

_"But I'm not a criminal."_

_"You're my example."_

_[Name] gazed over at Kougami, who seemed to be interested in what was happening. She shot him a questioning look to which he returned with a small smile. She breathed out and leaned on the desk, "Well, go ahead."_

_"You have a mother who doesn't pay much attention to you. You took solace in reading, resulting in your fair share of knowledge in different subjects. Your father hasn't been in your life, probably has something to do with crime or something like that, which allowed you to create a strong sense of optimism to live through the hard times in your life. To show that everything was alright, you began to laugh at your misfortunes and found it relatively uplifting to do so. You have many scars on your fingers and knees which means you have no sense of self-preservation. What matters to you the most is the safety of others around you, rather than yourself."_

_She froze, her eyes widening and skin paling at every point that came from his mouth. She licked her dry lips, not knowing how to respond or react. The classroom was now silent as they watched her turn from nervous to...almost wraith-like. "[Name], would you like a minute outside?"_

_No words could roll off her tongue, and Kougami began to stand, worried she might faint from his analysis. Saiga noticed her knees wobble and he scratched his head as he realized he might have aired too much. "Everyone get together with your partners and take out the list of questions that I have sent to all of you. Answer them all and turn them in by the end of the class. Do not let your partner see your answers. By the end of the semester, you should have a detailed report on them which will be 50% of the grade."_

_Though the class' interest still remained on [Name], they began their assignment in an orderly fashion. She, however, was still in shock until Saiga pulled her away from everyone's line of vision and to a corner of the classroom. "Professor?"_

_"I do apologize for spouting too much of your personal business."_

_"Just give me a heads up next time," she forced a laugh, "but that's some amazing skill you have... Hey, do I still have to do the assignment?"_

_"Your partner doesn't since I already did it for him, but you do," Saiga answered._

_"That is just...I have no words for this."_

_He chuckled while leaving her to her own devices with the assignment. In a soulless fashion, she dragged her feet over to Kougami. "How are you feeling?"_

_"Disappointed," she grumbled._

_"Well, at least you aren't on the spot anymore."_

_"I suppose," [Name] finally smiled again, "now, let's learn more about you."_

_He gave her an apprehensive look as if he wasn't excited with what she was going to assume of him. Seeing as how she aced the assignment in front of the whole class, he could tell she was highly analytical._

_And it was only a matter of time until she saw right through him._


	5. F O U R

_[Name]'s fingers thrashed about the touchscreen keyboard, her tongue wetting her dry lips periodically as she dove into her classwork. It was the usual crunch time during lunch, where she would attempt to finish any last minute work for her next classes._

_"Why didn't you call me?" she questioned her partner._

_After two months of Saiga's class, she thought that Kougami would have warned her at night about the forgotten homework (due to her leisure browsing of the internet). He knew what she did, he knew she'd forget, but he didn't to be a nagging mother to her. "I thought this time you would know there was homework after he called you out last time."_

_Her [e/c] orbs slid over to where he was seated and then returned her attention to the screen. "You're just scared of small talk with me outside of school."_

_He frowned. Two months of her analyzing him and now she was an expert when it came to him. Likewise, he was a professional in handling her at school; when it came down to activities out of school grounds, he was an awkward train wreck. His mannerisms were the opposite of his stoic self, and it mesmerized her how he lacked any social etiquette._

_"At least your work is interesting," Luna interrupted their conversation. "[Name], eat something."_

_The [h/c] girl stuck out her tongue as she grabbed her sandwich and took an exaggerated bite out of it, placing it back down quickly to continue working. "You're lucky you're in a class with Ginoza."_

_Kougami let out a soft chuckle as he went back to his book, a history book that [Name] had brought him from home. She had an immense collection of historical books, some dated back to the 19th century as she came from a long line of important people in the education field. Although she had extensive knowledge of many subjects, she somehow ended up not wanting to follow the path of teaching. She was the oddball of the family, but truthfully, she couldn't care less when it came to her family's lineage._

_"What about me?" a wild Ginoza appeared._

_Her heart fluttered at the sound of his voice, and she masked her face with her tablet. Luna just sighed, "[Name] was just telling me how lucky I am to be in my elective. She said that she was jealous of us learning about the Sibyl system."_

_[Name] gave her a thumbs up for the smooth reply. "Yeah, exactly my words."_

_Kougami shook his head, keeping in his laughter to not disturb his friend. Too bad Ginoza wasn't interested in [Name]. "Hn." He dove into his lunch, not bothering to eye the infatuated girl._

_Luna shrugged, knowing she had helped her friend as best as she could. Nothing else could breach through the naivety of the boy, unless [Name] confessed, but even then, she didn't think he would notice it was a confession._

_Her lips pursed as she watched [Name] speak amicably with her other friend, Kougami. It was amazing that she had no intention of pursuing anything romantic with him when they were basically on the same wavelength. Same interests, same thirst for knowledge, and an undeniable chemistry. How were they so blind to a great relationship?!_

_After a few minutes of typing, [Name] sighed with relief, "My goodness. I'm a pro_ in _getting things done."_

_"By the way, what's your homework about?" Luna asked as her arm extended over to grab [Name]'s sandwich and hover it by her friend's mouth._

_The girl opened her mouth, bit into it, and chewed frantically to reply. "A presentation. Today Kougami and I have to present in front of Saiga about our discoveries of each other."_

_"You call him Saiga?" Ginoza questioned. "Shouldn't you call him Professor?"_

_"Ah, he doesn't care. He's laidback," Kougami answered for her._

_[Name] threw her tablet into her bag and tugged on Kougami's hoodie. "Let's go! We're the first ones of the day."_

_He nodded while carefully placing his book in his messenger bag and followed her out of the lunchroom. They traveled quickly down the hallway, entering the elevator in a matter of seconds. He hit the fifth-floor button and leaned on the rail as the doors closed. "You nervous?"_

_"A bit," [Name] replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I know you aren't. You're practically friends with Saiga."_

_"We aren't friends," he smiled._

_"Mmhmm... Next thing you know, you'll have his address and visit his house occasionally."_

_"I bet you are already doing that."_

_She snapped her head in his direction, shooting him a grin, "Ooohh no. You caught my scandalous affair."_

_"It's fairly easy to notice. I made sure to include it in my presentation."_

_Her giggles rang louder with each second, and when they finally reached their floor, she frightened those who waited for the elevator with her booming laughter. Once they got off the elevator, Kougami guided her to the empty classroom where they sat in the first row. No one was coming to class today since it was their day to present their rough draft analysis on each other. Because of what had happened to [Name] when too much personal information was divulged to the class, he made the presentations more of a private matter._

_They waited a few minutes for their professor, and when he arrived, they bowed slightly. "I hope you guys brighten up my day. The faculty meeting was quite exhausting and drained my joy."_

_"I hope that doesn't affect our grading," [Name] whispered to her partner._

_"What was that? Did you volunteer to go first?" Saiga hummed as he turned on the monitor to his computer. He clicked on the screen a few times, getting his grading rubric ready as he also whipped out a notebook and pen._

_"I didn't... Fine, I'll go first," she grabbed the tablet and stood from her seat. "Can I read it from here?"_

_"Go ahead."_

_[Name] hesitantly peaked at Kougami, who was staring at the floor. "Uhh... I worked hard on this--"_

_"I can already tell you typed this up during lunch," Saiga countered, "but continue."_

_She smiled, "Ok, ok... Kougami Shinya. 16-year-old male. An aspiring Inspector. If I could describe him in one word, it would be: passionate. Although he has a stoic face when in solitude, he actually demonstrates a caring expression around his comrades. He seems to have respect for those superior to him but also to those who are strangers. His judgment can be clouded at times by emotions, but I know he'll always end up doing the right thing... That's all I have of him."_

_"You said that he is passionate. Do you mean that he is passionate to a fault? And if he cares so deeply for those around him, wouldn't that obscure his chance to be an Inspector? You did put that his judgment can be clouded--"_

_"I think he'll make a great--"_

_"Just some things to think about. Already from the quick overview of your project, I can tell there will be inconsistencies which will be major deductions. I feel like you are also omitting some of your research, though I am going to believe it was because you just did this during lunch," Saiga stated as he stared [Name] down. He could already tell by her scowl that she was, in fact, hiding something from him. However, it was up to her on whether she wanted to include this information or not._

_"I'll work on it," she answered, intelligently sidestepping his question yet doing so in a subtle manner._

_"I instruct you to do an after-school activity today with him. Follow him around."_

_"That's not necessary," she smiled hesitantly._

_"I mean it. Or do you want me to give you a zero on your assignment?" he threatened politely._

_She took a moment to respond as she gazed at Kougami, who seemed to be perplexed. "I'll do it."_

_"Great, give me your report tomorrow."_

_** >>>>** _

_"I'm sorry. You probably have something to do."_

_"I do, but it's fine if you come along," Kougami reassured her as they traveled out of the school. She was one step behind him as he led her down the street to do some errands._

_"By the way, thanks for the detailed description of me. It was nice of you to call me an intelligent and intuitive genius," [Name] recalled. "I can't believe that's how you look at me."_

_"I did state that you lack responsibility to even--"_

_"I didn't pay attention to that part," she stuck out her tongue in retaliation. He let out a throaty chuckle and continued walking down the sidewalk. "So where are you going?"_

_"I was hoping to get a license today," he nonchalantly answered._

_[Name] halted, whipping her head up to see if he was kidding around. "You can drive?"_

_"Yeah... I suppose," his grey orbs hovered away from her's, the faintest of blush dusting his cheeks. "It's no big deal."_

_"That's amazing! It means you'll be able to drive me to places even when we start our careers," she laughed as she skipped ahead of them._

_He didn't think much about her words, but they were a proclamation that she was going to be part of his life in a more permanent manner. And the thought made him strangely... giddy._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aw look at the reader mess with Kougami's emotions :,)


	6. F I V E

_She was grinning ear to ear, a sight he usually found heartwarming; however, at this particular moment, he felt apprehensive that [Name] wore such a face. Kougami passed his drivers exam but he had expected that. What he didn't expect was that she would be there to see him do it all, and now she stood in the background, eagerly watching him take his picture for the license._

_"[Name] why don't you wait outside?" he suggested as he shifted around in his stance._

_The excited girl realized that her presence wasn't wanted and let out a long sigh, shaking her head in disbelief. "If you say so." She turned on her heel and dragged her feet outside the building, disappointed that she couldn't see him through the process._

_[Name] waited patiently outside, kicking around a stray rock and letting out sigh after sigh. She noted that her excitement made him uncomfortable, even if she meant no harm. An idea formed in her head, screaming for her to write down certain characteristics she discovered about the raven-haired boy. She grabbed her tablet from her bag and began to type down little tidbits that she had discovered._

_For one, Kougami didn't know how to react when he was in the spotlight. It showed humility, no sense of pride, and his ability to hyper-analyze everything. "What else, what else," [Name] muttered to herself as she tapped her chin with her index finger. She chuckled to herself, thinking about how unusual her situation was. Here she was, typing up her analysis of a boy she was following without his consent really... Weren't these qualities of a stalker?_

_"Hey," Kougami surprised her, "sorry for kicking you out. You didn't have to leave--"_

_"Guilty conscious," she thought out loud as she hastily typed that down, "nice quality."_

_"Thanks," he hesitantly accepted the compliment._

_"You're welcome, and don't worry about it. I was probably embarrassing you," [Name] shrugged. "Now where to?"_

_"You're still going to follow me?"_

_"Why not? It's like two friends hanging out afterschool," she explained as she took a small piece of candy from her skirt pocket. Opening the wrapper, she gave him a small smile, "What are you waiting for? Let's get going!"_

_He scowled at the outcome, not exactly thrilled about her constant observance. "There's going to be a lot of sweaty men where I'm heading to now."_

_She cracked a smile, "That sounded so weird."_

_"Your fault for having a dirty mind," he smirked._

**_[____]_ **

_[Name] couldn't stop staring. She felt it was but a sin not to worship the masterpiece that was Kougami Shinya, though she believed that the longer she stared, the more of a betrayal it was to her crush. She blamed her slight attraction to athletic men, but ultimately, she found Ginoza's stern look and glasses to be much better._

_Her eyes hovered away from Kougami and over to the rest of the gym and its occupants. There were many males of all ages partaking in impressive regimes the gym had to offer. Most were shirtless, and [Name] overheard one of the men stating that Kougami usually preferred to be without a shirt. Her presence surely was a factor to his decision in keeping his clothes on._

_Kougami threw his used towel over to her and she instinctively caught it. "Good catch."_

_She gave a disgusted look as her fingers caught the soaked towel. "That's disgusting. What do you want me to do with this?"_

_"Wear it on your head."_

_She clenched her teeth to hold in her laughter, pulling her head down onto her lap as her body quaked from her silent chuckles. She didn't want to be kicked out for rowdiness, and she knew that would happen since the people here seemed to be of the serious type. They weren't here to joke around, and their muscles were the prime example of that fact._

_"Athletic, smart, funny," she listed Kougami's features when he finally finished his extreme regimen, "handsome to boot."_

_He scratched his head in embarrassment. "What's your point?"_

_"I'm just wondering why you don't have many girls fawning over you," she bluntly asked, accompanying it with a slight blush. It was a direct question that she hadn't thought would escape her lips._

_His eyes widened but then he glanced away from her face. "Why are you blushing?"_

_"It's a weird question."_

_"It is," he agreed. Her cheeks were still rosy, and it made him wonder if there was something else that was causing such a reaction. "Are you... insinuating that you would be fawning over me?"_

_It was her time to gawk at a question, and she didn't know how to answer. "G-Get back to your stupid bodybuilding training."_

_He thought a rejection would be his answer, but he was pleasantly surprised when she avoided the question. Why was he so pleasantly surprised? As he walked away, he took one last glance at her, watching her tuck a [h/c] strand behind her ear and bite her lower lip. She was clearly flustered, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride from it._

_**[___]** _

_"You have a better analysis?" Saiga hummed as he sat in his chair comfortably. His expression screamed that he wasn't too particularly ecstatic to still be in his classroom, granted it was because he had asked [Name] to meet him afterschool to go over the project._

_"Kinda," [Name] smiled nervously, "but I can't make a definitive statement yet."_

_His eyebrows rose with interest. "I hope you elaborate."_

_"Well, there are some valid points you brought up yesterday, and I never got around to answering them. NO. Wait, let me say that I learned new things about him during the trip. I never knew he was muscular under those clothes, did you know?"_

_"No, but thank you for that tidbit of knowledge," his tone dripped with sarcasm._

_"Haha, that isn't really part of the project...Anyways, I'm learning a lot of things about him that I'm worried about sharing them with you. I'm avoiding specific qualities that might hurt him if they're revealed."_

_"Now I'm intrigued." Saiga scratched the stubble on his cheeks. "So I suppose you are telling me to wait for the big reveal at the end of the semester?"_

_"Yes please," [Name] bowed her head. "I feel that what I'm writing needs to be backed up by evidence."_

_"I'll accept that," he nodded, understanding her predicament. She sighed with relief, thanking him profusely as she readied herself to leave the empty classroom. Before she stepped outside, Saiga added one last thing to her thoughts, "The Sibyl system is very restrictive, is it not?"_

_She glanced back at him as he wrote down a few points in his notepad. "Should I answer in a politically correct manner?"_

_Saiga scoffed, "Have I ever told you that you are quite the intelligent person?"_

_"Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change," she recited a quote with a smirk._

_"Indeed it is," Saiga frowned, "a wise quote from Stephen Hawking."_

_"It fits the Sibyl system theme," she added as she skipped out the classroom._


	7. S I X

_He wished that she kept her mouth shut, that she had had no confidence, that she wasn't infatuated by his closest friend. Kougami would never detest Ginoza even during this situation; it wasn't like Ginoza went out of his way to take [Name] from under his nose, nor had any intention to do so. She just so happened to prefer the more stable looking type of man, a man who seemed able to provide a secure lifestyle. Something in her past must have triggered such a preference, but those thoughts were for another time._

_"Are you ill," Ginoza quirked his eyebrow at the blushing girl. After making a comment on her pristine appearance (she usually appeared slobbish from being late so much), [Name]'s face drowned in all pigments of red which sparked Ginoza's slight concern._

_"If I were, I wouldn't be allowed in school," she glanced away, hiding her face behind her palm._

_It was evident to both their friends, Kougami and Luna, what was happening, but one was supportive about it while the other was slightly against it all. Luna, much to Kougami's dismay, was an avid supporter of [Name]'s endeavors, and whenever she saw an opportunity to get those two alone, she did so in a heartbeat. If Kougami didn't at least participate, he would get a scolding and a lecture on friendship by the girl, and he never felt true terror until his firsthand encounter with Luna's wrath._

_"I'm worried... Nobuchika, can you take [Name] to the infirmary to see if she's okay? Kougami and I have to go do something for homeroom," Luna asked in a polite manner as she stood from her seat, pulling Kougami up with her, "it might be a while so don't wait for us and get your lunch."_

_[Name] looked up at the two of them with a look that begged them not to go anywhere. Ginoza, on the other hand, seemed more confused as to what was going on. "She said she's fine."_

_"Please? She looks slightly feverish," Luna pushed as she began to back away from the two with Kougami a few steps behind her._

_Ginoza adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose as he let out a long sigh. "Fine, [Name], let's go."_

_The girl's jaw dropped at the sudden invitation but took no time in accepting it. Luna winked at her friend before tugging away Kougami in the opposite direction towards the cafeteria, while Ginoza accompanied [Name] to the infirmary._

_In a matter of minutes, Kougami and Luna found themselves in the long lunch line of their school. An awkward silence loomed over them until Luna decided to speak up. "Ahhh I'm so jealous that [Name] has people fighting over her," she groaned loudly, "good looking ones at that."_

_Kougami remained silent, debating whether or not she knew of his feelings. She could be talking about another guy he didn't know about, but the chances were slim. It still confused him since she never showed signs of knowing of his affections for her friend. When he caught sight of Luna's smirk, he felt his stomach drop, "How long have you known?"_

_Luna craned her neck upwards to gain eye contact with him, "Since the third time you were resistant in helping me. You are her friend, and when you don't want to help her with her love life, it's obvious that it's because you want to be in her love life."_

_"You based it on assumptions."_

_"I did, but you shouldn't underestimate my intuition," Luna shook her head, "and even though [Name] doesn't suspect it now, she will find out sooner or later... But it doesn't matter what happens in school. When we're all older, the Sibyl system will take care of who we marry, so it's out of our control."_

_Kougami nodded, digesting everything she said. There was a moment of silence as the two ordered their meals and traveled to the nearest empty table. As they situated themselves, they noticed [Name] and Ginoza waiting in line for food. They were amicably chatting, though it seemed that Ginoza was pretty annoyed about something. He must have found out that [Name] was completely healthy, and the trip to the infirmary was a waste of time._

_His stare lingered on the girl, watching as her expressions would change from admiration to embarrassment. He could see her mouth stutter when she spoke, and her cheeks flush when he spoke. He yearned for those expressions to be directed at him, and for that, he considered himself to be a complete pansy. What the hell did she do to make him feel this way?_

_She was [Full Name]: the biggest procrastinator, weirdest, kindest, funniest, most analytical, and the most understanding person he had ever met. Saiga had mentioned before to him that she was one of a kind, and coming from him, it meant something. The way she went about her life was against the Sibyl system and was something he amazingly respected._

_"Let's stay hidden, so they could eat lunch together," Luna lowered her head in order to be incognito from the oblivious two. She realized Kougami's ogling, causing her to harshly breathe out, "Look, I've known [Name] since elementary and she's not easily swayed. She sticks to her beliefs no matter what... but if her best friend came along, pronouncing his love for her even though she likes somebody else, I'm positive she would consider the possibility of dating him... Granted if she isn't dating anyone."_

_"Are you suggesting that I go do something about it because I might have a chance?" He was hesitant at the thought._

_"You have a 99% chance of her saying yes to the idea of dating, not being your official girlfriend, but dating."_

_He averted her smug stare, "I...prefer to keep to myself."_

_"Well, are you a man or something? You expect her to make the first move?" Luna sneered as she crossed her arms. The two heard [Name] and Ginoza situate themselves two tables down from them. They were still in the midst of a conversation, not bothering to notice their friends sitting not far from them._

_Kougami had no time to defend his honor as a man from Luna, but he still had time to do something about [Name]. He abruptly stood up, glaring at the blonde's smirk, "I can ask her."_

_Luna nodded as if she didn't believe those words; however, he began to prove her wrong as he walked off toward [Name]'s direction. He had his back straight and head held high as his eyes zeroed in on the blushing girl. His heart beat rapidly as anticipation racked his system, causing sweat to habituate themselves in his palms. Nervous was an understatement to how he was feeling._

_"Ginoza," she called the bespectacled man's name. He wished she would be saying his name in that manner and maybe she will once he asks her out._

_He breathed in and out, stabilizing his raging emotions. If his psycho-pass rose before he asked her out, he would definitely be disappointed. With a final step, he stood behind her with his mouth opening to begin his flurry of words, but he couldn't even begin, not when she said those dreaded words._

_"I like you! Please go out with me!" the [h/c] girl shouted._

_Ginoza dropped his spoon, startled by her random confession. He glanced up at her but noticed Kougami's silhouette behind her. "Kougami."_

_[Name] flinched and whipped her head around to see him, "O-Oh! Hey there!" She tried to avert her gaze as she quickly changed the subject. "...Do we need to do some final things for our project?"_

_He could tell that her eyes were begging, hoping that he didn't hear. And he responded with a faint smile, "Yeah, but I forgot I need to tell Luna something."_

_"Is that so?" she turned her head away in embarrassment. When she heard his footsteps slowly walk away, she gazed up at Ginoza's surprised expression. "Ah, I know it was sudden, but I just had to say it."_

_He seemed perplexed, not knowing how to respond. At the same time, he looked annoyed which worried her. "You--"_

_"Please, Ginoza! Just like a trial or something!"_

_The desperation in her tone broke his will to deny anything, and he couldn't tell if this soft spot was because of his friendship with her or some sort of infatuation. "I suppose I can entertain this," he reluctantly agreed, resulting in her gasping and smiling with joy._

_"Really?!"_

_As Kougami heard her cheering, he sat back down in front of Luna. "So, how did it go, Mister 'I can ask her out'?"_

_"...She already asked Ginoza out."_

_"Well, damn."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry kougami, you're gonna have to be quicker than that


	8. S E V E N

_Their expressions were the opposite to each other: [Name] wore this bashful smile while Gino seemed as if he could not care any less. "I can't tell if they're together or not," Luna whispered in Kougami's ear as the four of them sat together in homeroom._

_Kougami harshly exhaled as he ignored her comment, taking down notes during the professor's lecture. The newly formed couple had yet to tell them as to what transpired during their time away, but Kougami and Luna both knew. He was bottling his emotions, not letting them get the better of him and corrupt his iris' hue. He convinced himself that he had better things to worry about which didn't include her and Gino. Just let them be happy._

_The blaring sound of the school bell disrupted his focus, and when he turned to glance at [Name], a pout was forming on her lips as she watched Gino walk away. Sighing, her gaze returned to the tablet in front of her and she finished up the remainder of her work. She didn't realize that Luna had also left and so did the rest of the class until it was only the two of them._

_"Is there a particular reason you aren't leaving?" Kougami asked after a certain amount of time._

_She glanced up from her tablet, eyes widening in realization. "I was waiting for you to leave," she innocently answered, "Why aren't you leaving?"_

_"...I was waiting for you to leave too."_

_A smile replaced her pout, "Ha, what a coincidence!" she exclaimed as she slipped out of her chair. "I'll walk with you then." She stashed the tablet in her bag and slung it over her shoulder._

_He chuckled at the sudden change in emotions and followed her out the classroom, watching her amicably converse with him as if nothing happened. Whenever there was a mention of Ginoza, a pink hue burned on her cheeks. Again, desire bubbled in his gut, wanting it to be only his name that created that reaction._

_"Can you believe that this tedious project will be all over next week?" she sighed as she walked beside him on the sidewalk._

_"It should be a weight off your shoulders."_

_"Of course! Saiga is a tyrant!" she agreed with enthusiasm as she swung her arms in the air. "But it sucks that we can't hang out after school anymore."_

_"Why can't we?" Kougami's eyebrows rose as he turned to catch her saddened expression. "I thought you said we were friends, and friends don't need an excuse to see each other."_

_She let out an airy chuckle, a happiness restored within her. "I thought it was a one-sided friendship, but it's good to know you feel the same way."_

_He honestly didn't feel the exact same way. He felt he needed something much more than just a friendship with her, but at the moment this sort of relationship sufficed. "What do you want to do today?"_

_"Hmm, well, I've never seen where you live. You always just drop me off at home," she thought out loud as she tapped her finger repeatedly on her chin._

_"I never entered your house either."_

_"Eh, I don't think you would want to. It's just empty and depressing." She waved his suggestion away with a guarded expression. After months of research, he realized that there were some touchy subjects she didn't enjoy sharing, especially when it came to her mother. To his knowledge, her mother was a normal middle-aged woman with an average psycho pass and cared deeply for her daughter; however, she preferred to work and not think about her family. She was too afraid to be involved with others since that was how her husband became a latent criminal._

_"Shinya?"_

_The two students turned their heads over their shoulders. "Oh, mother."_

_[Name] gasped as she completely turned her body to face the middle-aged mother who carried a few bags of groceries. Her kind yet stern gaze was the first thing that greeted her, but [Name] was too astounded by how similar she looked to Kougami that she couldn't speak._

_"Is this your friend?"_

_"Ah, this is [Full Name]. She's my classmate."_

_"And recently established friend," the young woman countered as she offered her hand to the woman._

_Kougami furrowed his eyebrows, not at all excited that she stated that to his mother. "That's a surprise. I never would have thought Shinya would make a female friend."_

_[Name] grinned, "I'm hardly considered female by your son."_

_An epiphany bestowed itself upon Kougami as he swiftly glanced at her to check if she was lying. However, she wore an earnest expression, as if she truly believed that he only saw her as a guy friend. He couldn't recall what he did to make her think that way, but it was off-putting to know that he gave off that kind of vibe._

_Before he could correct the girl, his mother chimed in, "Well, I would love to have you over for dinner if you wouldn't mind."_

_"She has errands to attend to--"_

_"Nonsense, I have nothing to do whatsoever!" [Name] exclaimed, horrified that he would deny her the honors of visiting his home._

_He sent her a hard glare, warning her not to accept his mother's invitation, though she ignored his plead and awaited his mother's reply. "Wonderful. We usually have Gino come over, but it's nice to have a new, cute face."_

_The girl grinned widely as she followed his mother, gravitating away from a sluggish Kougami. He wasn't looking forward to having them both under the same roof since he was sure it would lead to many interesting things being said._

**_[____]_ **

_"So you read a lot of those historical books too?" his mother hummed as she poured [Name] a cold beverage._

_"Yeah, I do during my free time. I've also been lending some to Kougami--"_

_"I believe you are past that point of using surnames. Call my son Shinya," his mother suggested innocently._

_[Name]'s eyes traveled over to Kougami who coincidentally choked on his coffee, "Umm, I don't mind... even though we only met like seven months ago. If he doesn't mind as well."_

_"Of course he doesn't!"_

_Kougami sighed loudly at how enthusiastic his mother was. Now he realized what she was up to. She probably noticed how compatible the two were that she wanted to play matchmaker. It was awkward for the both of them, more so her since she was dating Gino. Though, it didn't seem that she minded all too much._

_"I'll call you Shinya then," she gave in as her cheeks burned at the sensation of saying his first name. "So I lent Shinya my boobs- I meant books!!!"_

_"What?" The shocked look of his mother said it all._

_Scratch that. It seemed that [Name] minded a lot that she was calling him by his first name. She was stuttering, blushing madly, and falling apart right in front of him. It was surprising that the confident girl was shriveling away before him._

_"I still have to return you your boobs," he responded to her blunder._

_[Name] slowly turned her head in horror, though when she noticed Kougami's smirk, she sighed with relief. "HA! They're still with you?!"_

_Though his mother appeared to be the least impressed with their humor and tried to excuse herself. "Your senses of humor are surely interesting... Let me go and check on the food."_

_As soon as his mother left, [Name] groaned, "I can't believe I messed up so bad. Once I make a mistake, it all goes down from there."_

_"You don't have to call me Shinya if you don't want to," he hummed as he scratched the back of his head._

_"I don't mind. I just didn't want to force our friendship," she explained as she rubbed her neck in embarrassment. "I mean, you can call me by my first name too if you want."_

_"I would love to." He meant to mask his eagerness, but it was clearly apparent. Lucky for him, she didn't notice it all too much as she was engrossed with the smell of his mother's cooking._

_"Alright, Shinya," she playfully stated his name, "I hope I didn't make your mom feel uncomfortable."_

_"I think she might be worried that you are feeling uncomfortable."_

_"I'll go help her with dinner then!" [Name] announced as she sprung up from her chair, "Mrs. Kougami!!"_

_"That isn't necessary!" he exclaimed as he ran after her._

_A familiar ringtone rang through the house, causing [Name] to gasp as she changed her route over to her bag. Grabbing her cell phone, she let out a squeak as she quickly answered, "Hello, Gino?!" All eyes were on her, watching as her face contorted to amazement to happiness._

_"Why is she like that with Gino?" his mother asked as she walked up to him._

_Kougami couldn't peel his eyes away from her though he heard his mother. "Because she is dating Gino."_

_"Oh, that's nice. But then why is she with you?" his mother hummed._

_"He wasn't able to go out with her afterschool."_

_"But she didn't seem all too bothered. She looked like she would be more depressed if you refused to walk with her afterschool." Kougami threw her a pointed stare, not at all believing what she said. "Well, it's just a mother's intuition."_

_"Yeah, we can do that tomorrow!" [Name] exclaimed from the distance as she looked as if she would jump with joy from her spot._

_"It is up to you if you want to try that out. Absence makes the heart grow fonder," his mother suggested as she shrugged her shoulders while leaving her son to his own devices._

_He bit his thumb as he thought it over. This girl was sending so many mixed messages; one day she acted like she is in love with Gino, the next she sounded like she was infatuated with him. Maybe he would attempt some type of ploy to clear up the many misunderstandings she had created._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah momma kougami, bring up the hard questions yo


	9. E I G H T

_There was a skip to her walk as she traveled the usual route to school. She attempted to add some whistling to her walk, but it was then she realized that she couldn't whistle. The happiness from the weekend clouded her thoughts; her head was too far up in the clouds, and it was noticed by the man walking beside her._

_"Do you want to tell me how it went?" Kougami asked._

_[Name] hummed, waving her hand around to dismiss his question. "Just a date~"_

_He emitted a pained chuckle, "Just? You seem to be in high spirits even if the final project is today."_

_She paused, eyes widening and palms sweating. "O-Oh yeah. The project."_

_Kougami slowly turned his head to make eye contact with her. "...Did you bring your project?"_

_"Yes... but I didn't finish it."_

_"How do you forget the biggest assignment of the semester?"_

_She laughed nervously, scratching her head in embarrassment. "Don't worry, let's just walk faster and I can finish it up before class starts." Her hand enveloped his own as she pulled him to go faster. At first, he followed her quickening pace, but upon remembering his mother's words, he pulled his hand away from her grasp. It left her startled, confused, and amazed. "Shinya?"_

_She used his first name again. He felt his cheeks burn, and he covered his face with his hand. "Go ahead without me. I have things to do first."_

_As odd as it was for him to have an errand this early in the morning, the panic within her overrode her instincts and she took his word. "I'll see you later then." With that said, she looked ahead and began to run down the sidewalk as she grabbed her tablet out of her bag._

_'Absence makes the heart grow fonder.'_

_Yeah right. It made him feel like shit._

**_[____]_ **

_Saiga stared at [Name] with an amused smile, "Ohhh, so you had a nice date this weekend."_

_"I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING!" she exclaimed as she threw her hands in the air._

_"Your cheeks are rosy, you stare off into the distance with a love-stricken face, you are wearing more makeup, you--"_

_"I get it." She cut him off as she began to feel creeped out. He always over-analyzed her almost every single day and it was only her._

_"You also forgot to do your assignment."_

_"I'm not going to ask how you know."_

_Saiga sighed, "But you have your speech, right?"_

_She nodded hesitantly, "I do, but is there anyone listening in?"_

_He gazed around the room, "I turned off all technology in here. The walls don't have ears at the moment, but you must hurry before someone finds out."_

_[Name] squirmed in her shoes as she clutched onto her tablet. She was worried about Shinya, which was one of the reasons why she had put off this assignment a thousand times already. It wasn't because of her date, though maybe it was a slight reason; it was because she knew the many qualities of Kougami, some of which she was afraid to shed light on. She didn't want to ruin anything for him._

_"Kougami Shinya, a 16-year-old male, future detective," she muttered. She came off as timid, a trait she wasn't fond of, so with a big intake of air, she continued the introduction of her project with more confidence. She recited the most basic parts of the speech like his physical appearance and what they show about him, his family, his aspirations, likes, and dislikes. The more she recited, the more she became nervous of what was to come._

_During the small quirks of the essay, an involuntary smile would form, laughing to herself as she thought back to the time she discovered that special quality about him. It was evident she was particularly fond of the raven-haired boy. Saiga didn't need much to know that._

_"Um, my assessment regarding his ability to perform as a functional individual in the Sibyl system... He is passionate, beyond compare, whether to his family or to his hobbies. He especially becomes enthusiastic when it comes to unraveling a mystery, discovering new theories and ideas...He enjoys the action of learning."_

_Her pupils darkened as she turned her head to stare at the closed classroom door. Behind it, she knew Kougami stood there, waiting for her to finish. He had already recited his own project, and judging from the look on his face when he left the classroom, Saiga praised him highly for his quality work. Yes, quality work. That was what he always said whenever it came down to his work in Saiga's class. She had suspected they were beginning a bromance, but that wasn't the issue at the moment._

_She returned her gaze to Saiga. "I can't."_

_He dropped his pen. "You can't, what?"_

_"I don't remember the rest of the project," she answered, setting her tablet on the nearest desk, "Give me whatever grade I deserve."_

_"You have your assessment, [Full Name], I know it," Saiga sighed. "Kougami said you're a terrible liar and he's completely right."_

_She forced a smile, though she knew he could see right through it. Her poor excuse of a facade broke as she began to mumble, "I am scared for him. If he becomes too involved with something, his Psycho-Pass might rise, and he might end up like my father. I don't want that for him."_

_Saiga furrowed his eyebrows, "[Name], you are a smart girl, that much I know. Kougami, you, and I are all perceptive individuals; we can see the present and the past with just one look. However, we cannot see the future. We can take accurate guesses, but they are never set in stone."_

_Her eyes locked with his, amazed by his comforting words even though they didn't come out in such a kind manner. "Saiga."_

_"You know, he said many good things about you," he quirked his eyebrow, a smirk forming._

_The girl laughed as tears rolled down her cheeks; she was bursting with joy that he thought so highly of her. It was odd though. She never thought she harbored these desires for him to highly praise her. Shouldn't she want Gino to do that?_

_"I won't take off points for your momentary lapse of judgment." He began to stand from his chair as she sighed with relief, "But I'll grade your paper harshly."_

_'I hate you,' was what she wanted to say to him._

_Kougami greeted the mentally exhausted girl the minute she came out of the classroom, but he was taken aback by her tear stained face. "What happened in there?"_

_She lifted her head, allowing her optics to lock with his. A soft smile appeared as she remembered why she was in this state. She didn't want to mention anything to him and have him misunderstand her. "He said he's going to grade me harshly."_

_"You're crying because of that?"_

_"It's my female hormones," she curtly supplied._

_Kougami's eyes widened, his lips sealing shut as he needed no further explanation for her tears. It took him a moment to recover from her statement, and he decided to change the subject. "Our new schedules come out this afternoon."_

_"Hopefully, I don't have him," she groaned. "Oh by the way, what happened this morning? You had to do some weird errand in the morning."_

_"I had something to do. Why, were you that sad I wasn't with you?"_

_She couldn't tell if he was joking around, sending him a perplexed look. "It's not that I was lonely. I had Luna and Gino, but I always enjoy your company a lot. It's weird not having you around now." Her cheeks burned from her statement, not expecting to sound so needy._

_"Oh--Uh... Thanks."_

_"N-No problem. Let's go to our next class."_

_Heading to the nearest cafe, [Name] traveled beside Shinya as excitement coursed through her. "Finally this semester is over! That class was just a pain."_

_Shinya shook his head with disbelief, "I found his class interesting--"_

_"Yeah, it was interesting! Such a shame it's over."_

_He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, opting to stay silent in order for her to continue her statement. First she hated it, and now she was sad it was ending. She noticed his confusion and began to explain._

_"I enjoyed having class with you, just the two of us. I'm sad that we won't have those nice discussions anymo--"_

_"You have my contact information... B_ _esides, we already established our friendship last week."_

_"So I'll be able to see Momma Kougami again after the semester," she perked up._

_"If you want to see my mom again, you can come over," he invited hesitantly. His mother did dote on [Name] ever since they met (which was only a few days ago), but he didn't know that not seeing his mother would affect her that much._

_"Thanks, Shinya," she breathed out. There was another pause of silence due to his embarrassed state and her brief thinking. "H-Hey, I... I want to ask you something."_

_"Is it what you want for dinner?"_

_"No. I wanted to know if Shinya, do you--"_

**_DING_ **

_"Our schedule is here!" she gasped, fumbling with the lock of her bag and sliding her tablet out._

_She didn't plan on finishing her question, and it wasn't like he wanted her to. She was beyond intuitive, and it was a miracle she hadn't realized his affections for her so far. What if she had? He didn't even want to think of what could happen._

_"N-No. Yes! Gah, I have mixed feelings," she scratched her head. "Damn."_

_Kougami did the same, opening the schedule on his tablet. His eyebrows rose, "My whole schedule is with Saiga."_

_"You too?!"_

_"...You too?"_

_"It's fate I tell you! Saiga, you, and I are destined to be in a polygamous marriage."_

_He smirked, "I'll get the marriage papers ready."_

_"Not funny, Shinya," you pouted._


	10. N I N E

_Thoroughly chewing his food, Kougami listened in on his peers as they were deep into their daily discussions. He never participated in said discussions, his only interest being that of analyzing. He examined their subtle movements, their choice of words, and how their voices fluctuated with each statement said. It was an exercise that his professor assigned to be done during his free time._

_As he stared in a pensive manner, he reached out for his sandwich only to notice its missing status. His eyes wandered down to the table and realized that another person decided to sit beside him during his examination of his peers. He stared up at the person who was bashfully eating his lunch, "[Name]--"_

_"I'm pissed," she said through her chewing. "It's like he forgets that I'm here or something... Oh by the way, excellent choice in sandwich today! Is this provolone?"_

_He let out a long sigh and returned his attention to his classmates, but they were already dispersing as it was almost time to head back. "Gino will always be like that. He is only focused on being an Inspector, which is something you should be doing if you want to follow him."_

_She nodded, taking in his advice with distaste, "Geez, it's not that I want to follow him... I think he said yes to my confession out of pity."_

_"I don't doubt you."_

_She narrowed her eyes at him, and he took the chance to swipe the sandwich out of her hands, downing it all in just one bite. "That..." She was speechless, and when she glanced down at his written work, her heart sank. "SHIT! I forgot about Saiga's homework!"_

_"It's our second year with Saiga, and you still can't get it together," he shook his head with disbelief._

_"Do you think he'll notice?" she asked nervously._

_"There are only five of us in that class," Kougami answered as he stood, "you can figure out the answer to that."_

_"Ugh," she groaned as she mirrored his movement. "Then I'll just have to work on it when I get to class."_

_As the tall male stared at her, his eyes widened in realization, "Gino probably has a lunch break now too. Why aren't you with him?"_

_"I told you. I'm mad at him. Plus, he's just over-studying right now and he won't pay attention to me. I'm not a needy person, but at least talk to me!" she continued on._

_He bitterly chuckled at her predicament, "Be careful with your problems, [Name]. You're Psycho-Pass might rise too much."_

_She halted her complaints to take a good look of his expression, wondering whether he was genuinely concerned for her. When she noticed the corners of his lips tilted upwards, her smile returned. "Ha! Shinya, your sense of humor is as dry as ever."_

_At least someone understood when he was joking. He flashed her a small smile, "Let's go, kid."_

_"We're the same age. You are not allowed to call me that," [Name] growled under her breath as she followed him out of the cafeteria._

**_[____]_ **

_[Name] idly stared at Gino as he immersed himself in his textbooks. He clearly did not understand the word 'date' as shown from his lack of interest in the [h/c] female before him. She crossed her arms, loudly exhaling to show her impatience for his actions. It had been an ongoing dilemma for the two ever since she confessed almost four months ago. He never initiated any type of romance, never bothered taking care of her, never cared to converse with her...the list goes on._

_What made her feel guilty about it all were the thoughts that would cross her mind whenever she was with Gino. 'If only Shinya was here.' Evidently, she realized too late that she preferred Shinya's company over Gino's, and now she was struggling with what to do. "You look like you want to say something."_

_She pressed her lips together to form a thin line as she debated on what to say. "Are you my boyfriend, Gino?"_

_The question captured his full attention as he directed his gaze to her. "What are you talking about?"_

_"I like you, Gino, but you're on my last nerve," she stated as she rested her head upon her palm. "You made me into this attention sucking monster, and I'm afraid you might raise my Psycho-Pass by the way you treat me."_

_"Your Psycho-Pass is nothing to joke about."_

_"Just answer the question." [Name] rolled her eyes. Honestly, she was a bit bothered Gino didn't laugh at her morbid joke (a joke she coincidentally received from Shinya)._

_"Of course I'm not your boyfriend."_

_"Really?" She blinked slowly, attempting to comprehend the situation, "But I thought--"_

_"I accepted your proposal to a trial. I hope you weren't under the influence that we were together." He sounded disgusted by the idea which offended the girl. "... Now, are you done?"_

_The question sent a crack in her somber expression, an odd smile forming at the situation. "Yeah, we're done. I guess the test didn't work out."_

_"Clearly."_

_"You're a real ass, Gino."_

_It was his turn to crack a smile. "Your fault for being delusional."_

_She couldn't help but laugh at his statement since he wasn't far from the truth. Her crush on him blinded her but fizzled out as soon as she noticed his priorities didn't involve her. Because of their long trial period, she had somehow forgotten they were on a trial and believed he was her boyfriend. Delusional was an understatement. "Yeah, yeah...You're still paying for dinner since it's our last date and all."_

_He waved his hand around in a shoo-ing motion. "Fine, just let me study."_

_[Name] chuckled as she gathered her belongings, not with haste though since she wasn't bothered with Gino's presence. "See ya later!" She slid out of the booth and traveled outside the cafe._

_Only a few steps into the crowded streets and she noticed a familiar face in the swarm of people. "MRS. KOUGAMI!"_

_"[NAME]!"_

_"Long time no see!" The girl ran over to the woman, and her first instinct was to help her with the grocery bags. "Thanks for the sandwich during lunch."_

_"Of course, I knew you would take a bite out of it. Shinya always complains how you continue stealing his lunch, though we both know he secretly enjoys it."_

_She smirked, "I know. He loves attention."_

_The middle-aged woman hummed, enjoying her conversation with the girl as they continued to walk down the streets. "Oh, what are you doing out so late alone?"_

_"Uhh, well, I was with Gino, but we ended things. I'm heading home now," she stated sheepishly. "We're still friends though. It just wasn't working."_

_"Finally my son has a chance!"_

_._  
.  
.

_"What?"_

_"Don't mind me, dearie~"_

_"Alright then," she hummed as she tried to decipher what Mrs. Kougami meant._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> C:


End file.
